Memories of Panem
by Whisperheart
Summary: When Molly Odair receives a letter from Katniss the memories of the rebellion and her own Hunger Games coming flooding back.  WARNING: SPOILERS FROM CATCHING FIRE AND MOCKINGJAY!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: ****I do not own the Hunger Game series or any of its characters, settings, etc... The only character that is mine is Molly Odair. **

**WARNING: SPOILERS FOR CATCHING FIRE AND MOCKINGJAY!**

The letter was entirely unexpected, and I wasn't sure what to make of it.

_Dear Molly,_

_ Peeta and I are making a book. We hope it will explain the past that we have lived in to future generations, to prevent the same mistakes from taking place. We are inviting everyone we know, especially Hunger Game tributes like you and me to add their own memories to our collection. Send us whatever you want. It will go in the book. I hope you and the others are doing well._

_ Sincerely,_

_Katniss Everdeen_

I didn't know how to respond. Did I want to open up that wound of horrid memories again? Or should I keep blocking out everything I did not want to remember. I thought of my brother Finnick, of the soldiers who died fighting for the rebellion. I thought of my own Hunger Games, and how I had survived. And before I knew it the memories were flooding my brain, and I had taken up a pen, beginning to write them all down.

**Sooo this chapter is short. But the next one will start the real story. Hope you like it! Please review!**

**~Whisper**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter One: A Day Out At Sea…**_

**Age: 4**

**Hunger Games: 56****th**

_Gravedigger, when you dig my grave_

_Could you make it shallow_

_So that I could feel the rain..._

~_Gravedigger by Dave Matthews_

I was going out on the boat. That's all I really was thinking about as I held my father's hand as we walked down to the pier. My older brother Finnick walked next to me, jabbering away at my father about what had happened on the Hunger Games last night. He was excited because our babysitter, Kiandra was doing well, and had made it to the final eight tributes.

I glanced up at my father who was looking straight ahead as we walked toward the pier. My father was a fisherman, who was lucky enough to own his own boat, and turn in a profit almost everyday. He also collected seashells, other seafood, and pearls he found inside of oysters to sell. Often he saved the shells and pearls for my mother who would make necklaces out of them, or use them in her latest design.

My mother designed clothing, and other things for the upper class of District 4. She use to help my father on the boat, but once Finnick and I were born she stayed at home with us while my father worked. The only reason I was going on the boat was because she was sick, and Kiandra was in the Hunger Games, unable to watch me. I'd never been on the boat before. It was actually rare for me to get to visit the beach.

As we rounded the corner Finnick ran ahead to the pier.

"Finn!" I cried indignantly, angry at being left behind. He had been on the boat before, and he was allowed to swim in the water. Although we were only a year apart my brother had been allowed to do almost everything I was not yet permitted to do.

I let go of my father's hand and ran after my brother, but he was already at the boat, his golden hair shining in the sun as he bent to start untying the ropes. I got to the edge of the boat, and looked back at my father. He kept his sharp green eyes on both of us, scolding Finnick when he got to close to the edge of the dock.

Once the boat was set, he lifted Finnick and I up onto the boat deck, ordering us to sit still while he got out into the open ocean. I sat as still as possible, hoping if I was good my parents would let me go on the boat again. Finnick squirmed next to me, grinning at me, as the ocean splashed up, spraying our faces with a salty mist. I giggled delighted already with this new adventure.

My brother and I looked nothing a like. We were each a combination of our parents, but had gotten none of the same features. Finn had my mother's bronze hair, and my father's sea-green eyes. His skin also tanned easily, a trait my mother said was from my grandfather. I had gotten my mother's pale complexion and light blue eyes. My bright shock of red hair was from my father, although his had long ago faded to gray.

When the boat slowed, my father let us up, and we could walk around the boat. He began to check the nets, and so Finnick and I made our way to the back of a boat, where there was a little platform you could sit on, and dip your feet into the water.

I shivered at the cold water, splashed around anyways. Then Finnick spotted a dolphin a little ways a way, jumping through the waves.

"Look Molly!" he cried pointing out to the horizon. I squinted, and scrambled up as fast as my four year old legs would allow me to. Leaning out I tried to see it. Then I saw the shadow, as it leaped again, and this time there were three.

"Finn, there's three!" I cried taking a step closer to see. But I'd taken one step to far, as I stepped straight off the boat, falling down toward the water. Gasping, I managed to have the brains to suck in a breath of air before going under.

Under the water is was peaceful. You couldn't hear the waves or the gulls or the constant wind. The only faint noise I heard was Finnick's screams from above. Opening my eyes I peered into the water surprised at how clear it was. I looked down, and laughed at the fish swimming by my toes. Everything was bright and colorful. My hair floated around my face, a flaming veil in the water.

But within seconds my lungs were burning, and this delightful trip in the water became deadly as I struggled to breathe, getting a mouthful of saltwater instead. I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut. I could feel myself sinking down.

But suddenly strong arms wrapped around me, and with a few swift kicks from my father we were at the surface, and I was being hoisted back onto the boat. Finnick handed me a towel, and I wrapped it around my shoulders. I could tell my father was upset, but he didn't scold me. Probably he figured the scare had been punishment enough.

On the way home, the wind cut through the thin towel, causing me to shiver madly. Finnick huddled next to me, trying to block most of the wind. Since our outing had been cut short, my father decided to try our look at the beach. He gave me an old shirt of his that was more like a dress on me, and belted it at the waist so I wouldn't trip on it.

Finnick and I were sent to the shallows were we collected seashells for Mom, and looked for other creatures and tidbits we could sell. Finnick set a trap for some minnows, and got some for bait. Father went crabbing off the pier.

We stayed until the sky opened up and the heavens poured down on us. Finnick grabbed what we had collected, and Dad slung his catch his bag over his shoulder, picking me up so we could get home soon. I smiled contentedly turning my face skyward, enjoying the pitter-patter of rain on my face, like a sprinkle of tiny kisses. I opened my mouth catching the drops on my tongue.

At home Father sent the fish stew from last night to reheat over the fire, and cut up the remaining seaweed loaves. After dinner I went upstairs to check on my Mom.

She was sitting up in bed, stringing a design of seashells into a belt. Her hair was loose, unlike the usual neat design of braids she wore. There were shadows under her eyes and she looked paler than usual. I slipped up beside her, yawning, beginning to feel my eyes droop.

"Molls, don't fall asleep yet. Remember you have to stay up for the Hunger Games. Kiandra is still on don't you want to see her?" she said scooping me up, into a sitting position. I shrugged, but dutifully followed my Father, who carried my Mom downstairs into the living room where we kept the TV.

I curled up next to my mom, Finn snuggled up on my other side. We watched as the recap played, and then watched a string together of today's events. Suddenly they were showing Kiandra and Finnick got very excited.

"Look it's Kiandra!" he was saying tugging on my Father's arm to get his attention. I sat up interested for once. She was collecting some fish from the pond, using a net to capture them. Being from District 4 she was keeping well fed, because the arena was dotted with tiny fish-filled lakes.

It came out of nowhere. One minute she was humming, as she gutted her dinner, and the next second there was 3 tributes on her, using their knives to attack. Despite her pleas and cries for help, no one stopped, and no one came to her aid. Within five minutes a cannon went off, and they left her limb body filled with stab wounds.

My mother's face was white, Father looked uncomfortable, and Finnick looked horrified. I was speechless. The Hunger Games had always only been a televised entertainment, that I was required to watch nothing more. This was the first year I had known a tribute. And within those five minutes of watching Kiandra die I realized these were much more than some silly games.

"_Ring around the rosy, _

_Pocket full of posy, _

_Ashes to ashes, _

_We all fall down, _

_Gravedigger…"_

**A/N:**** Hey guys! So this one is a little longer don't you think? I'm hoping you like it better. I know it's not the most interesting of chapters, but I needed a starting point, and there isn't that much you can write about a four year old. **

**So please review and give me you opinions! All comments welcome, just please be respectful. **** Other than that next chapter will probably be up not this Sunday, but next Sunday at the latest. Possibly beforehand… we'll see. **

**~Whisper**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Two: A New Friend**_

**Age: 5**

**Hunger Games: 57th**

_**"Another night with all my friends,  
The kind you'll never see again..."**_

_**~Home- The Goo Goo Dolls **_

It was summer, which meant no school, and hours, upon hours of working on the ship with Father, and Finn or staying at home and helping Mom string together beads and shells. Most of the time I opted to go out on the boat, get away from District Four for a while and enjoy the open sea. Father enjoyed my help because I had long ago picked up the skill of swimming as well as Finnick, and was deft with a knife.

He sent the pair of us to explore the sea floor while he gathered the nets. We would collect shells, clams, oysters, and cut lengths of seaweed for later. I also excelled at math, which made me more useful than Finnick when we went to trade things in the market.

The market of District Four was always packed with people over the summer. It was the center of daily life and you could usually find everyone there on a nice day. It was Sunday, the day when Mom came to sell, and I was helping take down our display at the end of the day. We had a great amount of customers, and the mayor's wife had ordered her daughter a new dress embroidered with seashells for the upcoming Reaping.

I put away the last few items, and then prepared to head home. The sunset sent a soft rosy glow crawling up the white-washed walls of the buildings, and made shadows dance across the stone streets. I spotted my friend Thor with his own mother at their stand across the market. Turning around I tugged on my Father's sleeve.

"Can I go play with Thor? I'll be back for dinner." I begged. My father sighed and shook his head.

"Not today Molly. You still need to help us get dinner ready at home."

I let out a small squeak of protest, but was silenced by Father's stern gaze. He reached over and ruffled my hair.

"Maybe tomorrow."

"That's what you said yesterday." I said waving to Thor, and picking up the basket with Mom's jewelry inside.

Mom turned from where she had been folding up the clothes, and smiled softly at my father.

"I think I can handle reheating some soup and getting the bread in the oven." She said to him. "Let Molly go play. She has been at our beck and call all summer. Finnick's been gone the entire day."

There were few people who could get Father to change his mind, but Mom was one of them.

"Alright Molls, run along. Be back for dinner."

I handed Mom the basket and hurried over to Thor. "Want to go play by the beach?" I asked.

With a nod from his mother Thor and I set out for the beach. "Race ya!" he cried.

"No fair! You have a head start." I cried. Put set off running anyway. I was never very fast when it came to racing long distances. I was better at the short distances, or nimbly dodging my opponent in a game of tag. Thor was long gone, way ahead of me.

I bent my head and raced as fast as I could, my breath a bit ragged as I hurried in the fading light. My feet hit the sand, and I kicked off my sandals next to Thor's and hurried after him. He was waiting a little father down the shore; talking to a girl I'd never met before.

She had long dark hair, the fell in messy waves down her back, and when I got up close, she turned glowing green eyes on me. Thor laughed at me as I wheezed, tired. The girl tilted her head to the side, and smiled slightly.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Molly Odair. Are you the daughter of the restaurant owners?" I asked. I thought I had seen her there before, but I wasn't sure. The only restaurant in the District did fairly well, and I could tell just by looking at the girl that she was well off. She had on a clean white sundress, and a necklace of shells. Her sandals were made of high-quality leather.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm Annie Cresta. I met Thor a few days ago when he came to drop off some of his Dad's catch."

I nodded. I liked the girl although I usually avoided the very well off people. My family did much better than others, but I could still never walk around with jewelry, and new shoes.

Thor was obviously bored of the chit-chat, and grabbed my hand tugging me toward the water. "I thought we were gonna play! How about some tag?" I glanced at Annie's dress and thought off how even my gentle mother would punish me mercilessly if I ruined something that beautiful.

"Thor I don't think Annie can get her dress ruined. It's very nice."

But Annie obviously didn't care as she kicked off her shoes and ran into the water, until it hit her knees. The sea lapped at the bottom of her dress.

"Don't worry about it, Mama won't care. I have plenty of others." She paused, then squealed. "NOT IT!" turning and running as I let out the same scream. Thor turned and chased after the pair of us, splashing us when he got close enough.

When the sunset, Mom came to collect me from the shore. I said goodbye to Annie and Thor and then walked home hand in hand with her.

"Mom were you ever in the Hunger Games?"

She laughed lightly, running her hands through her light hair.

"No Molls I was never in the Hunger Games. Though your father almost was. He was reaped, but someone volunteered. They had been training and wanted it more than him."

I nodded. It made sense. Most of the boys started training as soon as they were allowed to for the games. We had often had winners come home. We even had our own training center to practice at.

"When will I start training for the games?" I asked seriously.

Her grip on my hand tightened a bit. "When you are ten. That's when you are allowed to go to the training center. But don't worry you won't ever need to practice. You won't get reaped."

I shook my head. "Finnick said he's going to be in the games. He says that Father says that all the boys run off and compete." I frown thinking of Father when he said these words. "But usually Father says they run off and die. I don't think Finn remembers that part."

When school started again I was in class with Annie Cresta, but not Thor. I was sad that my closest friend was not with me, but having Annie as company wasn't that bad. And eventually she became my best friend.

I learned that even though she was well off, she was only allowed to eat the leftovers from the restaurant. Her mother had made her dresses from the old fabric of gowns she had when she was little. The seashell necklace had been her birthday present from the mayor's daughter. She didn't have that many friends.

Thor and I started to drift apart. Although we still waved when we saw each other he had a new pack of boy friends that often spent our free period racing and wrestling each other, boasting about how they would one day win the Hunger Games. And I wondered if they knew that when the Hunger Games happened twenty-three kids didn't get to come home.

**A/N: So I know it's late, but I literally didn't have time all this week to write this chapter, until today so yeah…. But it is still up on Sunday as promised! XD**

**I'd totally love a review if you're up for it. Any critque I get helps me out. I would also love some suggestions. I have at least two chapters planned out. The next one will take place when she is seven. And it will show the bad side of the Capitol, and off District Four.**

**ALSO! I've been really into making fake "casts" for who I think fits my characters. So if you want to check that out on my profile that would be awesome. I'd love to know what you think. Of course the characters are mainly cast as adults/teens as they will be during most of the story. So don't yell at me just cause Molly isn't a teenager yet.**

**Hopefully next chapter Sunday!**

**~Whisper**


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